PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF

	BOARD DATE:            14 July 1999
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1998013960

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.  

	Mr. Loren G. Harrell		Director	
	Mr. Jessie B. Strickland		Analyst	

The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Samuel A. Crumpler		Chairperson	
	Mr. Ernest M. Willcher		Member	
	Mr. John Saputo		Member	

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military 
            records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	            advisory opinion, if any)

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests that his report of separation (DD Form 214) be corrected to show that he completed Ranger training and that he was promoted to the pay grade of E-5.

3.  The applicant states that his records fail to reflect that he successfully completed Ranger training.  He also states that he was supposed to have been promoted to the pay grade of E-5 upon completion of Ranger training; however, it never occurred.  Therefore, he states that it should be done at this time.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he enlisted on 10 October 1986 for a period of 3 years and training as an infantryman.  He successfully completed his training and was transferred to Fort Campbell, Kentucky.  He was promoted to the pay grade of E-4 on 10 December 1988.

5.  The applicant attended Ranger training at Fort Benning for a period of 8 weeks and successfully graduated on 3 July 1989.  He was awarded the Ranger Tab on 3 July 1989 on permanent orders 114-21, published at the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia.

6.  On 5 September 1989 the applicant submitted a request for a hardship discharge due to sole parenthood.  His request was approved by the appropriate authority on 6 September 1989.

7.  Accordingly, he was honorably released from active duty in the pay grade of E-4 on 18 September 1989, under the provisions of Army Regulation 635-200, chapter 6, due to sole parenthood.  He had served 2 years, 11 months, and 9 days of total active service and was transferred to the USAR Control Group (Reinforcement).  He was honorably discharged from the USAR on 18 October 1994.

8.  At the time of his discharge, his DD Form 214 was prepared to reflect that he was separated in the pay grade of E-4.  However, there is no indication that he completed the 8-week Ranger course or that he was awarded the Ranger tab.  The only training indicated was completion of the Sniper course.

9.  A review of the applicant’s records failed to reveal that the applicant held promotion list status either prior to or on his separation date.

10.   Army Regulation 600-200, in effect at the time, provides the policies and procedures for enlisted promotions.  It states, in pertinent part, that for promotion to the pay grade of E-5, Ranger school graduates who meet the minimum promotion list requirements (450 points) will be promoted on the first day of the third month following attainment of recommended list status or graduation from Ranger school, whichever is later, without regard to announced cut-off scores for the soldier’s military occupational specialty.  Minimum requirement are 18 months time-in-service, 4 months time-in-grade, recommendation by the commander and a promotion board, and attainment of 450 or more promotion points.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant successfully completed the 8-week Ranger training course in 1989 and was awarded the Ranger Tab.  However, an administrative error resulted in the omission of the training and award from his DD Form 214 at the time of separation.  Therefore, it would be in the interest of justice to correct the error at this time.

2.  The applicant’s contention regarding his automatic entitlement to promotion to the pay grade of E-5 based upon his completion of Ranger training appears to be without merit.  In order to be promoted to the pay grade of E-5 after completion of Ranger training, the applicant had to have held promotion list standing for a minimum of 3 months before he could have been promoted.  There is no indication in the available records to show that he ever held promotion list standing or that he ever appeared before a promotion board.  Accordingly, it appears that he was properly released from active duty in the pay grade of E-4 and there is no basis to correct his records to show otherwise.

3.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the individual concerned completed the Ranger course (8 weeks) in 1989 and that he was awarded the Ranger Tab.

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied 

BOARD VOTE:  

___js  ___  ___ew __  __sac___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		___Samuel A. Crumpler___
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1998013960	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	1999/07/14	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  189	110.000/CORRECT 214	
2.  46 	107.0000/DECS/AWDS	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.